The Neighbours Next Door

One

Waving goodbye to everything I had ever known in LA was, in the only way I can put it, heartbreaking. I had friends there, ones that I thought I could grow up with and never let go of but yet again Mom and Dad had other ideas. It felt as if my whole life was based upon what my family wanted, not once did I get a choice of what was going to happen. Tears were streaming down my best friend, Georgie's, face. We had been joined at the hip since the first day of kindergarten and to be ripped apart in that way wasn't doing us any favours. The drive to the airport seemed to last a lifetime because Mom wouldn't stop describing the new neighbourhood we were moving into. "Oh, you'll love it. Trust me, Hayden. The houses around Long Valley are so beautiful and I met some of the neighbours when we went to see the place and they have some children your age that you can go to school with." Every word she said twisted the knife that was hanging loosely from my heart. Mom didn't understand because she always moved around when she was my age. The plane journey was even worse, the kid behind me would not stop kicking my chair and making noise. I wished that it was acceptable for me, a 15 year old, to do that. His mother just let him carry on because it would require effort to refrain him. Mom and Dad would occasionally ask me how I was doing but, let's face it, they didn't care whatsoever. By the time, we had arrived in New Jersey and got through the front door, I had accepted that there was very little chance of me going back home.

The house was surprisingly plush and most of our furniture was already placed in it's rightful room and area. Before long, Mom had all her tiny ornaments out on the mantelpiece and Dad had his sun lounger in the garden. They didn't waste any time in making it their own, but I didn't feel like it so I decided to explore the local area. I passed the local school and it brought back horrible memories. Me, Mom and Dad moved to New Jersey because the bullying in my hometown was getting serious, I would come home everyday and a letter would be in the mailbox. A letter from one of my bullies, explaining the reasons why they hate me the amount they do and what would happen if they saw my face in school again. Mom and Dad wanted to move as soon as they found the letters. Instead, I applied for an online school which I felt a hell of a lot more comfortable with. On the rest of my walk, I found the grocery store, a little café and some parks that I could do my daily jogging in.

I could tell that Mom had the neighbours over as soon as I stepped in the door because of the loud laughing and the sound of the kettle boiling for hot tea, Mom's speciality. I tried to get upstairs without Mom or Dad calling me into the living room but Dad saw me running past the entry.

"Hayden? The neighbours are here, come and say hello." I spun on my heels and plastered on a smile before strolling into the living room. The sheer amount of people shocked me slightly. I was used to 3 people in a house, not 8. Around the coffee table, on sofas and extra chairs brought in from the garage, sat Mom, Dad and our neighbours: The Mom, The Dad, The Sister and The Twin Brothers. I felt their eyes on me so I just looked to the floor and bounced on the balls of my feet. "Lisa. Sean. This is our only daughter, Hayden." Dad introduced me to the adults and beckoned me over to stand beside him. "Why don't you take Ethan, Grayson and Cameron to your room?" He said it so that everyone else could hear, putting an extreme amount of pressure on me. I nodded and went up the stairs, expecting the three teenagers to just follow along. I left my bedroom door open for the neighbours' kids but only the twins came in.

"Cameron stayed downstairs because she's an 'adult' now." One of them said. They seemed so casual but awkward at the same time. The pair were leaning against the wall because there was no furniture in my room except from my bed and a makeshift desk. "I'm Grayson." After studying each one, I started to realise the difference. Grayson had highlights in the front of his quiff and a small mole on his chin. The one that hadn't said anything, but was probably Ethan, had a mole on his cheek and wore his hair differently. "This is my brother, Ethan." I stood up and shook their outstretched hands.

"I'm Hayden." I think that the boys could tell that it was getting awkward so Ethan decided to talk.

"Do you want to come to the park?" His voice was a tiny bit deeper. "We're taking our longboards." Sure, I wanted to make some friends but they were both so different to me and intimidated me slightly. "That's fine."

"Dude, she hasn't even answered yet." Grayson nudged his brother, making me laugh. "You don't have to come but we'd really like to get to know you." I nodded and followed them back down the stairs. Mom and Dad were still nursing mugs of tea across the table from Lisa, Sean and Cameron, they seemed pleased that I was actually making an effort. It was the least I could do for them. Both boys grabbed their longboards from the front of their lawn, Ethan had one with red wheels and Grayson's had yellow wheels. Ethan noticed that I didn't have anything and felt bad.

"You want to use our spare one?" Ethan offered. I shrugged, feeling suddenly self conscious and the centre of attention. "You don't know how to?" I nodded. They both made different noises; Ethan laughing out of affection and Grayson, an 'aww'. "I'll teach you." We started strolling towards our local playground/woods/park and once we were at the paved area, the twins started doing all sorts of tricks. I just found a bench nearby and got out my phone to text my best, and pretty much only, friend, Georgie. She had sent me more than 20 Snapchat videos of her crying and ranting about how she's never going to forget me and how I have to come and visit her and her new boyfriend, that had the most forgettable name. I sent just one back; a plain black photo with the camera close against my hand. I didn't want to show my face, I had just got off a plane for Christ's sake. All I wrote was 'Yeah, I'll be back in LA soon'. Being blunt was my speciality, you could say. The twins were still messing around and racing along the sidewalk when Georgie replied to my message. She seemed pissed for some reason but I was way too used to that to care. Suddenly, Grayson called me over so I left Georgie on read and jogged over to them.

"You can learn on my board, Hayden. Ethan's going to go and rest," Grayson said the next bit loud enough for Ethan and a few passers-by to hear, "because Ethan Grant Dolan is wussy and hurt his knee." I gave my phone and my bag to Ethan with the thought that I could potentially fall and break a limb. Breaking my phone was the priority in that situation, not going to lie here. "Okay, have you ever been snowboarding?" I shook my head. "What about surfing?" Grayson was desperately trying to help me with this skateboarding idea but, to be honest, I never really did any sport apart from the occasional horse-back riding with Georgie, but that was a distant memory.

"Grayson, this isn't a good idea. I should just get going." I tried walking away but the slightly taller twin reached for my waist and placed me on top of his board with ease. "What the-" The man-child started giggling whilst pushing the skateboard along his foot and holding me tightly around my hips. "Grayson, I think that's enough for now." I couldn't help but laugh as well. Once I was off the board and I had caught my breath again, I turned to Ethan. He was talking on the phone..my phone. "Ethan? Give it to me." He continuously pushed my hand away. "Ethan!"

"Okay. Thanks, Georgie. Bye." Ethan hung up and smiled when the phone was back in my hands. "That was Georgie, by the way."

A/N

Here it is, folks. The long fan fiction that I've been talking about. Hopefully, you weren't expecting anything amazing because I am editing and proofreading this in school. I've just finished my science exam that determines whether I do double or triple science for GCSE's. We all know what one I would prefer.

Anyways, add this book to your library if you want to know when I update and also let me know whether you prefer long chapters or short chapters. I've also finished a book called "Dolan Twins Blurbs' which is a series of short paragraphs about the twins in certain situations. Check that out as well, why don't you.

From Pia :]